Commodity support card



SePt- 13, 1966 R. A. KRzYZANowsKl 3272328 COMMODITY SUPPORT CARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1964 INVENTOR ROBERT A. KRZYZANOWSKI ATTORNEY Sepf- 13' 1966 R. A. KRzYzANowsKl 3372328 COMMODITY SUPPORT CARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 22, 1964 xNvNToR RoaERT A.KRzYzANowsK BY M ;i

AT TORNEY United States Patent O 3,272,328 COMMODITY SUPPORT CARD Robert A. Krzyzanowski, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Milprint, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Dela- Ware Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 384,306 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates 'genenally to packaging, and specifically relates to the iprovision of a card-like carrier or support member for a commodity, which member includes foldable retainer panels that can be swung to an upright position to abut opposite portions of the commodity placed on the oarrier member. This facilitates holding the commodity on the carrier while it is fed through packaging Operations, such as an overwrapping or pouch-making machine. The invention is particularly uselful in the packaging of a group of similar articles, such as a lStack of frankfurters, Clothes lpins, sausages, etc., and can be elfective with the articles arranged in either one or two rows.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a member for carryin-g or supporting a commodity which is to be packaged, such as by being transported through a pouch-making machine, over-wrapping machine, or other packaging apparatus, wherein the member holds the commodity in such a manner as to reduce displacement thereof during the packaging operation. Another object is to provide a lmember for holding a plurality of similar articles in a stack or group without one or more of the articles becoming dislodged from the stack or group while it is being moved through packaging operations. Another object is to provide a flat card-like memher that has a pair of panels defined therein which can be swung to an upright position to engage opposed ends of a stack or body of a commodity placed on the cardlike member so as to hold the commodity in place. A related object is to provide 'a member of the foregoing type that carries two rows of articles arranged one row on each side of the card and wherein one row assists in maintaining the panels upright to thereby help hold the other row of commodity =in place. A still more specific object is to provide a flat card having cut lines and fold lines arranged to define foldab-le retainer panels on at least two opposed sides of the card, which panels may be swung into a position to engage commodity placed on the card 'and thereby assist in holding the commodity thereon. Another object is to provide a package including commodity arranged on a card-like member as defined in any of the preceding objects and an outer wrapper enclosin'g the card and commodity and snugly conforming to the outlines thereof. A further object is to provide packaging methods for utilizin'g card members according to any of the foregoing objects.

The lforegoing and other objects will become apparent from the following description wherein several specific cmbodiments of this invention are described for the purposes of iltlustration and to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present invention. However, it is to be understood that other embod'iments of this invention may be used and that structural changes in the forms described herein may be made by those skilled in the art without actually dep'arting from the true scope of this invention. The scope of the present invention is best defined by the claims and, except as otherwise stated, 'limitations set forth in the following detailed description should be interpreted as being illustra-tive only. In the following description and in the claims, Various structural features have been identified by specific names or relative positions or directions. These, however, are intended to be .construed in a broad generic, not limitative,

3,272,3Z8 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 ICC iFIG. '1 with the foldable retainer panels in an upright condition ready to receive a commodity;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the support card placed about a first row of commodity;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a second row of commodity added to the support card;

FIG; 5 is alperspective view showing transparent, fiexible sheet material wrapped about the support card and its commodity shown in FIG. 4,'

. BIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second form of support card;

, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the card of FIG. 6 with the retainer panels in an upright position;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the card of FIG. 7 supporting a single row of commodity; 'and FIG. 9- is a perspective view showing transparent, fiexi'ble sheet material wrapped about the support card and its commodity shown in FIG. 8.

In FIG. 1 there is shown a flat card 1 rthat is cut and scored to include panels which define a supporting member in accordance with this invention. Near each end of the card 1, there is formed a bent or U-shaped cut indcated generally as 2. The cuts 2 include a transverse central cut 3 extending partly across the card and a longitudinal cut 4 extending from each end of the transverse cut toward the end of the card and terminating short thereof; as indcated, the central cut and two ilongitudna'l cuts may meet at rounded corners. A t'ransverse fold line 5 extends at right langles from the end of each longitudinal cut 4 that is not connected to the central cut to the nearest side edge of the card; the fold lines may be parallel to the transverse cut 3. The cu'ts are herein shown as solid lines to denote that they extend entirely through the thickness of the card, but they can also be formed by lperforated llines. The fold lines are shown as dashed lines to indicate that they do not extend throu'gh the card but are merely creased areas scored in the card to serve as hinges for folding. The various cuts' and fold lines can be formed by means or devices tgenerally used in the manufacture of fol'dable cartons, for example, the cut lines may be formed by die-cutting through the card and the [fold lines can be formed by scoring the card so that it wi'll 'bend easily about the scored portions. The card is best made of fold'able material of the type commonly used in the manufacture of cartons such as paperboard, cardboard, or any other similar material, althoughpl'ast'ic materials, particularly the self-hinging synthetc Iplastics also may be utilized in its construction.

The cut lines and fold lines define 'a panel 6 at each end of the card 1 which can be rotated about the fold lines to the upright position shown in FIG. 2. When in this condition, the lower porton 6a of each panel 6, being that porton bounded by a bent cut 2, is folded from the plane of the card 'and underneath the central porton 7 of the card. At the same time, the upper porton 6b of each panel 6, bounded by the end 'and side edges of the card 'and the fold lines 5, is folded out of the plane of the card to assume an upright position `above the central portion 7 thereof. Due to the resiliency of the material, the panels 6 will tend to fold inwardly to return towards their original position. The card is now in an erected c-ondition ready for use in packaging any desired commodify, herein illustr'ated las frankfurters.

Turning now to FIG. 3, a group of frankfurters 8 is arranged in a row with each abutting its neighbor in the lengthwise direction. It is desired to maintain the frankfurters in this arrangement as they proceed through the packaging operation, and the card 1 of this invention is i designed to fassist in accomplishing lthis end. After the card 1 is erected as shown in FIG. 2, it is placed lover the row of frankfurters 8 in the manner shown in FIG. 3 with the lower portion 6a of each rotatable panel 6 contacting each end frankfurter of the row. The distance between Ithe panels 6 when erected is selected to be approximately equal to the length lof rthe row of commodity so that when the card 1 is placed over the row, the resiliency of the material will act to urge the lower portions 6a inw'ardly so they can rather firmly engage the ends of the row of commodity. This serves to keep each individual article firmly in the row and prevents the end pieces, in particular, from separating from the group. Additionally, this aids in keeping the panels 6 in their upright positions.

As indicated in FIG. 4, an upper row of frankfurters 9, arranged in the same manner 'as the lower row, is then placed on top of the card 1 between the erected upper portions 6b of the two foldable panels 6. The upper mow of frankfurters is also firmly held in place so that the row will not become disassembled. If the frankfurters in the lower row tend to separate, they will urge the lower portions 6a of the panels 6 out-wardly and the upper portions 6b will bear against the ends of the frankfurters in the upper row t'o prevent the lower portions from being pushed outwardly so far as to enable the lower row to become separ-ated. Conversely, if the frankfurters in the upper row tend to separ'ate, the upper portions 6b of the panels will move outwardly slightly and the portions 6a will engage the ends of 'the lower row of frankfurters to prevent further outward movement of the upper portions so that additional disarrangement of the upper row lwill 'be prevented. Thus the card of this invention is construoted and loaded with commodity in such fashion that the panels and commodity cooperate to retain the commodity in 'an orderly arrangement on the card.

The assembly of FIG. 4 is now ready to be wrapped in a suitable protective material to form rthe completed package. Any suitable packaging machinery can be used, although the present invention is particularly adapted for apparatus of the type that will fold 'a web of film about .the assembly to form a pouch that tightly conforms to the contours of the assembly; vacuum packaging apparatus or appar-atus which displaces air in the package with an inert gas such 'as carbon dioxide to form a hermetically sealed package is preferred when food is the commodity. A typical finished package is shown in FIG. 5. A Sheet 10 of transparent flexible sheet packaging material is folded about the assembly of the card 1 and the frankfurters and sealed (as lby heat-sealing) 'along a longitudinal seam 11. Transverse end seams 12 .and 13 are formed across each end of the package. Apouch that snugly engages the outer surfaces of the assembly is thus formed; for best results, 'the pouch is formed by vacuum packaging equipment so that it is drawn tightly against the upright panels 6 to prevent the assembly from shifting. Examples of suitable materials for the Sheet 10 'are polyethylene coated cellophane and polyethylene coated polyester film, although other useful materials are available.

FIGS. 6-9 illustrate another form in which some of the principal features of the present invention may be embodied. A flat card 20 is shown as including a bent cut 2 near each of its ends. Each cut 2 includes a transverse cut 3 and a 1longitudinal cut 4 extending from each end of the cut 2 towards the outer ends 'of the card, but 'terminating short thereof. The cuts 4 may be flared slightly outward las indicated and form sharp corners where they intersect the transverse cut. A transverse fold line 21 is formed in the card 20 to connect the two outer ends of each pair of longitudinal cuts 4; the fold lines 21 may be parallel to the transverse cuts 3. The

'at each end of the card 20.

When using the card 20 for packaging any desired commodity, each panel 22 is folded about its fold line 21 to .the upright position out of the plane of the central portion 7 lof the card as shown in FIG. 7, and then arnanged about a body 'of commodity, such as the frankfurters 23, so that the upright panels 22 engage opposed portions of the body in the manner illustrated in FIG. 8. The panels 22 vabut opposite ends of the commodity so as to hold it in place on the card. The resiliency of the card material is utlized in keeping the panels in the desired position with respect to the body of commodity. To complete the package, a sheet of flexible, packaging material is folded about the card and commodity :assembly so as to snugly conform to the outlines thereof and then sealed along longitudinal seams 11 and transverse end seams 12 and 13 to form a completely sealed package as shown in FIG. 9.

As is indicated in the preceding drawings, the card 1 of FIGS. 1-5 is adapted to support two rows 'or layers of a commodity whereas the card 20 'of FIGS. 6-9 is adapted to support only one row or layer. When the card 1 is used, the wrapper 10 can carry -any desired printing for decoration, product information, trademarks, etc. This oan also be done where the card 20 is used, but, additionally, the same information 'can be printed on the back of the card 20 itself and the finished product displayed With the printed board up so as to 'both pr'otect the packaged product from light and to enhance display of the printed information; when used in the latter fashion, the wrapper 10 would prefer-ably be entirely transparent (i.e. without any printing).

One of the important advantages of the cards disclosed he'rein is that they greatly facilitate the packaging of a group of individual articles in an automatic wrapping or pouch-forming machine. In a typical machine of the type referred to, the articles to be packaged are moved along an infeed conveyer that travels at an angle to .a moving web of flexible packaging fihn. Near the end of the infeed conveyer, the articles are transferred to the moving web of film and then transported by the film as it moves through the folding stations for folding the film about the articles and then through the sealing mechanisms to form a closed package. Usually, the web of film travels slightly faster than the infeed conveyer. Although the infeed conveyer in a machine of this type will normally have separators or dividers to hold the commodity in place, the problem presented is that it is 'necessary for the commodity to maintain its form by itself while being transferred to the moving web -of film 'and while being transported by the film through the package forming operations. With a group of individual articles, such as the frankfurters shown herein, one or more articles may consuming and cumbersome Operations to be fixed in' place. The 'article support members of this inventio'n solve the foregoing problems and act to prevent individual members of a group of articles lfrom becoming separated as the group is being moved through an automatic packaging machine. They are eas-ily placed in position with a minimum of time and efliciently hold a commodity in place. In addition, they act to keep the commodity in place in the finished package and provide a relatively compact stiif package that reduces flexingv and its attendant -adverse effects of causing the package to crack and leak. In this latter connection, a carbon dioXide filled vacuum package, for example, formed about a loosened Although continuous bands compact, tight group of articles, and this increased fiex- -ing can result in an increased number of cracked, leaky packages.

There has thus been described two constructions of a support member, adapted to hold a commodity to be enclosed in an outer wrapper. In accordance with this invention, the support member comprises a fiat card of foldable material having at least two retainer panels formed in opposite portions of the card. Each retainer panel is defined in part by a bent cut having spaced legs opening away from the center or central portion of the card, and each such leg terminates short of the end edges of the card. Fold lines are formed in the card so that the portion of each panel defined by the -bent cut can be hinged or folded to an upright position about the fold lines to be out of the plane of the central portion of the card, and commodity to be supported on the card can be placed between the upright foldable retainer panels. The panels will then engage opposed portions of the commodity to aid in retaining the same on the card; the resiliency of the card stock is thusly utilized to aid in holding the retainer panels in their desired position. In the principal embodiment of the invention, each retainer panel has two portions, one extending above the plane of the central portion of the card and the other extending below the plane of the central portion of the card when the panels are folded to their upright or commodity-retaining position, so that one layer of commodity can be positioned between the upper portions of the opposed panels and a second layer can be positioned between the lower portions of the panels. In an valternate form, important features of this invention are -incorporated in a card constructed to retain or support a single layer of commodity. To complete the package with either card illustrated herein, an outer wrapper encloses the card and commodity and snugly conforms to the outlines thereof.

Although two specific examples of this invention have 1been descr-ibed in detail for the purpose of illnstration, it is to -be understood that it lis intended to cover all changes and modifications of these two examples as well as other card constructions not specifically herein illustrated, which do not constitute a departure from the spirit and scope of this -invention.

I claim:

1. A package comprising:

(1) a support member comprising a flat card including a central portion and at least two spaced panels in an upright position out of the plane of the central portion of the card, each panel being defined by 'a generally U-shaped bent cut formed in the card having spaced legs opening away from the central portion of the card and fold lines intersecting said legs and about which a panel is foldable to its upright position;

(2) commodity arranged on the central portion of the card between the upright spaced panels, said panels contacting opposed portions of the commodity to hold the panels upright and to retain the commodity on the card; and

(3) an outer wrapper enclosing the card and commodity and snugly conforming to the outline thereof.

2. A package comprising:

(l) 'a support member comprising a fiat c-ard including side and end edges, a central portion and at least two spaced panels in an upright position out of the plane of the central portion of the card, each panel having an upper portion above the plane of the card and a lower portion below the plane of the card, one of said panel portions being defined by -a bent cut formed in the card and having spaced legs opening away from the central portion of the card, and one part of the other of s-aid panel portions -being defined -by fold lines eXtending from each spaced leg to the nearest side edge of the card and another part of said other panel portion being defined by end edges of the card;

(2) commodity arranged in two layers on the central portion of the'card, one layer extending between the upper portions of the panels and the Other layer extending between the lower portions of the panels, with the portion of each panel defined by a bent cut contacting opposed sides of the commodity to hold the panels upright and to retain the commodity on the card; and

(3) an outer wrapper enclosing the card and commodity and snugly conforming to the outline thereof.

3. A package comprising:

(1) 'a support member comprising a flat card including a central port-ion and at least two spaced panels in an upright position out of the plane of the central portion of the card, each panel defined by a generally U-sh'aped bent cut having spaced legs opening away from the central portion of the card and a fold line extend'ing between the spaced legs of each bent cut about which each panel is hinged to the card;

(2) commodity arranged on the central portion of the card between the upright spaced panels, s-aid panels contacting opposed portions of the commodity to hold the panels upright and retain the commodity on the card; and

(3) an outer wrapper enclosing the card and commodity 'and snugly conforming to the outline thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,142,017 6/1915 Brown 229-42 2,278,l98 3/1942 Hall.

2,711,8l9 6/1955 Vander Lugt 206-4531 2,745,545 5/1956 Dunning 206-78 2,809,896 10/1957 Pierson et al 229-42 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examner.

THERON E. CONDON, Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A PACKAGE COMPRISING: (1) A SUPPORT MEMBER COMPRISING A FLAT CARD INCLUDING SIDE AND END EDGES, A CENTRAL PORTION AND AT LEAST TWO SPACED PANELS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION OUT OF THE PLANE OF THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE CARD, EACH PANEL HAVING AN UPPER PORTION ABOVE THE PLANE OF THE CARD AND A LOWER PORTION BELOW THE PLANE OF THE CARD, ONE OF SAID PANEL PORTIONS BEING DEFINED BY A BENT CUT FORMED IN THE CARD AND HAVING SPACED LEGS OPENING AWAY FROM THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE CARD, AND ONE PART OF THE OTHER OF SAID PANEL PORTIONS BEING DEFINED BY FOLD LINES EXTENDING FROM EACH SPACED LEG TO THE NEAREST SIDE EDGE OF THE CARD AND ANOTHER PART OF SAID OTHER PANEL PORTION BEING DEFINED BY END EDGES OF THE CARD; (2) COMMODITY ARRANGEMENT IN TWO LAYERS ON THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE CARD, ONE LAYER EXTENDING BETWEEN THE UPPER PORTIONS OF THE PANELS AND THE OTHER LAYER EXTENDING BETWEEN THE LOWER PORTIONS OF THE PANELS, WITH THE PORTION OF EACH PANEL DEFINED BY A BENT CUT CONTACTING OPPOSED SIDES OF THE COMMODITY TO HOLD THE PANELS UPRIGHT AND TO RETAIN THE COMMODITY ON THE CARD; AND (3) AN OUTER WRAPPER ENCLOSING THE CARD AND COMMODITY AND SNUGLY CONFORMING TO THE OUTLINE THEREOF. 